Cooling device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a cooling device comprising a cooling unit ( 10 ) through which a fluid to be cooled, especially hydraulic oil, can flow and comprising a filter unit ( 12 ) for filtering the fluid. By virtue of the fact that the cooling unit ( 10 ) and the filter unit ( 12 ) are joined together as one piece and that the filter unit ( 12 ) is placed together with the cooling unit ( 10 ) inside a device housing ( 14 ), the inventive cooling device can be constructed in a manner that is considerably more compact and lighter while having an output that is comparable to that of prior art solutions.

[0001] The invention relates to a cooling device with a cooling unit through which flows a fluid that is to be cooled, especially hydraulic oil, and with a filter unit for filtration of the fluid.

[0002] Cooling devices of the type in question can be used for a plurality of applications and are available in the most varied embodiments. The cooling device systems which have been readily available on the market to date however all consist either of a filter unit flanged to the cooling unit or to tank units connected to cooling units, the respective tank unit then holding the filter element. Thus conventional cooling devices are generally composed of several components, and the independent cooling unit can be connected by way of the corresponding tubing to the independent actual filter unit in producing the cooling device with one another. Here it cannot be precluded that in the indicated tubing faulty connections and moreover fault sources arise in the installation of conventional cooling devices with the indicated tubing. Furthermore, conventional cooling devices are structurally large owing to the diversity of their parts and are accordingly heavy; this is a disadvantage especially for mobile use.

[0003] With this state of the art taken as a basis, the object of the invention is to further improve conventional cooling devices in such a way that they are compact and light in construction and that possible fault sources in installation are for the most part avoided. This object is achieved by a cooling device with the features set forth in claim 1.

[0004] By virtue of the fact that according to the characterizing part of claim 1 the cooling unit and the filter unit are connected in one piece to one another, and because the filter unit together with the cooling unit is located in the housing of the device, the known multi-part structure is avoided and the cooling device claimed for the invention can be manufactured in a manner that is considerably more compact and lighter while still achieving the same performance capacity. Furthermore, by integrating the cooling unit and the filter unit in the device housing, the conventional tubing can be omitted and fault sources precluded in this way.

[0005] In one preferred embodiment of the cooling device as claimed in the invention the filter unit in the flow direction of the fluid is located upstream or downstream from the cooling unit and the cooling unit is designed as a plate-shaped finned cooler. Especially for installation spaces that are kept flat, the plate configuration of the type in question is advantageous and by selective arrangement of the filter unit in the right or left water box of the cooling unit it is possible to interchange the sequence of cooling unit and filter unit with one another; this allows extensive matching of the cooling device to the installation conditions on site. Preferably the device housing is composed of sheet metal parts. But the embodiment as a casting is especially preferred, especially as an aluminum diecasting.

[0006] In another preferred embodiment of the cooling device as claimed in the invention the filter unit is made cylindrical and fluid supply into the device housing takes place in the upper area of the filter unit and the fluid drains from the cooling unit in its lower area. A favorable flow-through behavior for the fluid can be achieved by the arrangement of fluid feed and drainage of the type in question.

[0007] In another especially preferred embodiment of the cooling device claimed for the invention the filter element is held in a filter housing which is an integral part of the device housing. The filter housing can be matched to the outside contour of the filter element so that for this element even in the outside peripheral area reliable support and guidance within the device housing are guaranteed. Preferably in the filter housing there are at least two bypass valves which respond at different volumetric flows. Thus, for example, improved matching to variable volumetric flows from 60 l to 160 l can be achieved with the result that a cooling device can be used in a wide range of applications with different orders of magnitude of fluid volumetric flows without structural changes being necessary here.

[0008] It has proven especially environmentally friendly to build the filter element from materials which can be completely incinerated so that disposal without residue is for the most part achieved.

[0009] To improve refrigerating capacity the cooling unit, especially its front side, is connected to a motor-fan unit which increases the possible air throughput in the finned cooler and thus leads to improved cooling results.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the cooling device as claimed in the invention the filter housing can be sealed by a sealing cover, on the filter housing there being a connection point for a fouling indicator. For the latter fouling indicator a conclusion can be drawn about the degree of fouling of the filter element, which in the clogged state and thus fouled should be replaced by a new one. A replacement of this nature takes place with ease of installation and promptly by way of the aforementioned upper sealing cover on the filter housing. For stationary installation of the cooling device, also in the mobile area, it has fixing parts which allow a detachable connection to stationary components on machines and devices as well as vehicles.

[0011] The cooling device claimed for the invention is explained with reference to the drawings, in which, in outline and not drawn to scale

[0012] FIGS. 1 to 3 shows the cooling device without the motor-fan unit from the front view, from the top and side;

[0013]FIG. 4 shows partially in section, partially in a side view, in a front view a first embodiment of the cooling device;

[0014]FIG. 5 shows an operating diagram for the approach as shown in FIG. 4;

[0015]FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the cooling device as claimed in the invention, to the extent that it differs from the preceding first embodiment.

[0016] The cooling device has a cooling unit 10 through which a fluid to be cooled, especially hydraulic oil, can flow and a filter unit 12 for filtration of the fluid in question. As shown especially by FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIG. 4, the cooling unit 10 and the filter unit 12 are connected in one piece to one another, the filter unit 12 together with the cooling unit 10 being located in the device housing 14. According to the two embodiments shown in the drawings the filter unit 12 is located in the flow direction of the fluid upstream from the cooling unit 10. The filter unit 12 however can also be located, according to one embodiment of the cooling device claimed for the invention which is not shown, in the flow direction of the fluid downstream from the cooling unit 10 and connected to it in one piece within the device housing 14.

[0017] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the cooling unit 10 is made as a plate-shaped finned cooler. To route the cool air the plate cooler has fins 16 which are folded out in a zigzag shape and which between themselves border fluid guide channels 18 which are used for transport of the fluid to be cooled. The air guidance direction by the cooling unit 10 runs perpendicularly to the plane of the figure in FIG. 1 and 4 and the fluid transport direction transversely thereto, therefore in the plane of the figure. Furthermore, the fluid guide channels 18 located on top of one another discharge on both sides into fluid collecting spaces 20, 22. The structure of the finned cooler of the type in question is generally conventional so that it is not detailed here. The device housing 18 itself in this embodiment is made as an aluminum casting; but it can also be assembled from sheet metal parts in a box shape and assembled into a housing by way of welds.

[0018] The filter unit 12 is made cylindrical and fluid supply 24 into the device housing 14 takes place in the upper edge area of the filter unit 12, the fluid drain 26 out of the cooling unit 10 taking place in its lower area by way of the fluid collecting space 22. As seen in the line of sight to FIGS. 1 and 4 the rough flow-through direction is therefore from top left to bottom right. The actual filter element 28 which consists of conventional filtration materials and for example as a pleated, hollow-cylindrical filter mat surrounds a middle support pipe 30, is held in the filter housing 32 which is an integral component of the device housing 14, especially in the form of a casting. The replaceable filter element 28 is used here for filtering dirt out of the fluid which can be supplied by way of the fluid supply 24. By filtering dirt out of the fluid by way of the filter element 28 it is ensured that the cleaned fluid runs through the cooling unit 10 and then cannot form deposits there which could jeopardize operation of the entire cooling device.

[0019] In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the filter housing 32 towards the cooling unit 10 borders the fluid collecting space 20 and in cross section is made essentially L-shaped, like the bordering area of the fluid collecting space 20. The latter extends, like the fluid collecting space 22, over the entire height of the entire device and the cooling unit 10. The actual filter element 28 stands on the bottom 34 of the integrated filter housing 32, the bottom having a middle flow-through recess (not shown) so that a fluid-guiding connection between the interior of the filter element 28 and the fluid collecting space 20 is provided. Furthermore, the fouled fluid flows through the filter element 28 from the outside to the inside and the fluid which has been cleaned in this way is relayed by way of the through-opening in the bottom 34 and the fluid collecting space 20 to the cooling unit 10. To be able to ensure undisrupted filtration, the filter element 28 is encompassed by the filter housing 32 with a radial distance so that the filter element 28 can be peripherally flushed by the fouled fluid which is supplied to the device by way of the fluid supply 24.

[0020] As seen in the line of sight to FIG. 4, in the upper area of the filter housing 32 and diametrically opposite the fluid supply 24 in the wall of the filter housing 32 on top of one another there are two bypass valves 36 with opening and closing characteristics which correspond to one another. The bypass valves 36 are used to ensure that when the filter element 28 is completely clogged up the cooling operation is not interrupted, acting as a sort of emergency supply, as before the supply of the cooling unit 10 with the fluid to be cooled. By using the two bypass valves 36 it is possible to cover a larger range of volumetric flow quantities with only one cooling device, for example the range from 60 l to 160 l, at low volumetric flows then only one bypass valve 36 responding and in other applications with higher volumetric flow two bypass valves 35 being necessary if the filter element 28 is completely clogged.

[0021] The filter element 28 on its top discharges into two holding grooves 38 which facilitate removal of the filter element 28 by hand. The filter element 28 consists preferably of materials which can be completely incinerated so that the clogged and used filter element 28 can be disposed of almost free of residue. For effective cooling operation it is also provided that the front side of the cooling unit 10 is connected to the motor-fan unit (not shown) which is used to guide the air flow by way of the cooling fins 16 and in this way to cool down the heated fluid in the fluid guide channels 18 to a definable value. In the area of concrete pumps where these cooling device are used, the fluid is cooled for example from 80° C. to 60° C. On its top the filter housing 32 can be sealed by the sealing cover 40 which can be fixed by way of a screw connection 42 on the upper opening edge of the cylindrical filter housing 32.

[0022] There is a connection point 44 for the fouling indicator (not shown) at a right angle and in the same reference plane next to the fluid supply 24 in the filter housing 32. The fouling indicator (not shown) can be connected by way of the connection point 44 for example by means of an electrical connecting cable 46, which allows a conclusion about the degree of fouling of the filter element 28, can be connected. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the support tube 30 is made modular by way of individual plastic support tube segments and on the bottom 34 the filter element 28 is routed in an element receptacle 48 of the filter housing 32.

[0023] As especially shown by the plan view in FIG. 2, both the cooling unit 10 and also the cylindrical filter unit 12 on their back side 50 essentially terminate in a common plane and perpendicular thereto is the connection site 44 for the fouling indicator on the filter housing 32. The fluid supply 24 and the fluid drain 26 lie in turn in the common plane parallel to the back side 50 of the common termination wall. On the free front sides at the top and bottom on the cooling unit 10 there is also a bridge-like fastening part 52 with which it is possible to fix the cooling device on stationary components, also in a mobile application, for example by way of a screw connection which is not detailed.

[0024] By virtue of the fact that, as indicated, the filter pot with the filter element 28 is an integral component of the cooler in the form of the cooling unit 10, a compact and light construction is achieved and as a result of the internal fluid routing by way of the fluid collecting spaces 20 and the fluid guide channels 18 complex tubing is for the most part avoided and fault sources in installation and maintenance of the cooling device are precluded. As a result of the presence of multiple bypass valves 36, improved matching with variable volumetric flows, especially from 60 l to 160 l flow quantity, is achieved. The cooling device is environmentally friendly with respect to optimum recycling capacity. Since the filter unit 12 in the flow direction of the fluid to be cooled is also located upstream from the plate-shaped finned cooler 10 and because the filter unit 12 extends along the side wall of the finned cooler 10 which is kept free of the fins of the cooler itself, a cooling device is formed which is made plate-shaped, which has a very compact structure, which requires less installation space, and still ensures a very large amount of refrigeration capacity. Furthermore, in the arrangement of the type in question the fouled fluid is preventing from clogging the fluid-carrying fins within the plate cooler. 

1. A cooling device with a cooling unit (10) through which flows a fluid that is to be cooled, especially hydraulic oil, and with a filter unit (12) for filtration of the fluid, characterized in that the cooling unit (10) and the filter unit (12) are connected in one piece to one another and that the filter unit (12) together with the cooling unit (10) is located in the housing (14) of the device.
 2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit (12) in the flow direction of the fluid is located upstream or downstream from the cooling unit (10) and the cooling unit (10) is a plate-shaped finned cooler.
 3. The cooling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device housing (14) is composed of sheet metal parts or is a casting.
 4. The cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the filter unit (12) is made cylindrical and the fluid supply (24) into the device housing (14) takes place in the upper area of the filter unit (12) and fluid drainage (26) takes place from the cooling unit (10) in its lower area.
 5. The cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the filter element (28) is held in a filter housing (32) which is an integral part of the device housing (14).
 6. The cooling device as claimed in claim 5, wherein in the filter housing (32) there are at least two bypass valves (36) which respond at different volumetric flows.
 7. The cooling device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the filter element (28) consists of materials which can be completely incinerated and wherein flow takes place through the filter element (28) from outside to inside.
 8. The cooling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a motor-fan unit is connected to the cooling unit (10), especially to a front side of same. .
 9. The cooling device as claimed in one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the filter housing (32) can be sealed by the sealing cover (40) and wherein on the filter housing (32) there is a connecting point (44) for the fouling indicator.
 10. The cooling device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the filter unit (12) in the flow direction of the fluid to be cooled is located upstream from the plate-shaped finned cooler (10) and wherein the filter unit (12) extends along the side wall of the finned cooler (10) which is kept free from the fins of the cooler itself. 